MIDI Express 128 + OSX Mountain Lion, Hanging notes

[vcat]

Hello there,

I've searched the forum for solutions to my problem and although it's been covered before, nothing I've found works. Forgive me if I've missed something.

I'm having a terrible time with hanging notes on OSX. I'm sending data out to external synths, not receiving any, so I believe I can rule out a loop as the source of the problem.
Audio/MIDI setup looks correct and I've setup external instruments in Logic just fine, each one triggers the correct instrument.

It seems almost as if the MIDI data is bleeding together at some point. For instance sometimes notes on my drum machine port will trigger notes on a synthesizer or cause them to drop out; having a sequence playing on one synth will diminish the number of notes I can have playing on another synth before notes start to hang, despite each synth being on it's own dedicated port. I've even tried assigning each synth to a different channel on it's own port to see if that would prevent the problem, but to no avail.

I just tried this on my PC in cubase and despite throwing a tonne of notes at everything, I could not get a single note to hang, which suggests to me it's not the hardware.

I get the same problem running DP8.

I'm running Mountain Lion 10.8.2, latest MOTU drivers. The Express unit is plugged into a USB3 port on a latest model MB Pro (non retina). I check the power availability/usage on the port and it's got loads of extra power available.

Any suggestions?

[Nibiru]

hey,

I'm not gonna be much help, other than saying that I have basically the same thing happening here when I use my MTP/AV (that i've had for 13 years) with my 2008 MBP running 10.6.8. On my G5 running the last Tiger OS, no problemo. I even bought a crappy M-Audio 4x4 MIDI interface to see if that fixed it. It did. However, when using that stupid box, I have to unplug the input, which is connected to a Roland PC-200mkii, because notes will randomly sound when the keyboard is not being played. Connecting to a different input port usually fixes this. But at least I can play back all my external synths without all my data being mashed up and unplayable. So who the hell knows whats going on.

My guess is MOTU could update some drivers or firmware for their MIDI boxes, but this is my uneducated guess. Just wish I could use my MTP/AV and not have to spring for the 5x5 box they have. I was hoping the drivers in their 5x5 would fix my issue of stuck and mashed up notes.

[Agent of Random]

Something is definitely up with USB3 backwards compatibility on the newer macs...not sure if it is MOTU or Apple's problem, but my guess would be it's on Apple, since they claim USB3 should work with any USB2 device.

I would try a USB2 hub!

[vcat]

Cheers guys. Yeah it sounds feels like it's a driver or firmware problem.
For now I guess I'll use my PC as a sequencer and my Mac as a recording device.
Maybe I need to start saving for a Cirklon...

[cornutt]

I just bought a Mac Mini and I've got 10.8.2 running on it. I ran into the same symptoms when I brought up my MIDI Express XT USB on it -- stuck notes and notes occasionally being flung out to random synths. Clockworks also had problems communicating with it.

With my previous G4 Mac, I had had the XT connected to an old USB hub. I moved it to one of the Mini's ports when I set the Mini up. After running into the problem, I had a vague memory of having encountered this problem before -- I don't remember exactly when; it must have been when we moved a few years ago. But I went ahead and moved the XT back to a port on the old hub. Presto! The problem disappeared. No more stuck notes, and Clockworks communicates with it just fine.

I'm now trying to figure out what the diff is. Since I'm pretty sure I had this problem with the G4, I don't think it has anything to do with USB 3.0 or with the Mac Mini specifically. I will look this evening to see what my old hub is -- it's a cheap bus-powered thing.

[abiah]

Same problem here, same cause found. Disconnected old edition MIDI express from the USB hub (sitecom 7-port), plugged it direct into my MBP (2010 15") and the hanging note problem disappeared.

Definitely a USB hub-OSX10.8 compatibility problem.

edit: there is talk on apple forums about 10.8.2 updates & safe-mode reboots fixing problems with Belkin hubs. Neither fixed my hub problems.
The problem is not just hanging notes but both note on & off failing. Device is totally unusable, unfortunately. Expecting the only reasonable fix to be a new hub.

[mikehalloran]

Something is definitely up with USB3 backwards compatibility on the newer macs...not sure if it is MOTU or Apple's problem, but my guess would be it's on Apple, since they claim USB3 should work with any USB2 device

As far as I know, MOTU MIDI devices are usb 1.01.

Interesting that the two solutions are opposed:

Plug back into the old hub:

But I went ahead and moved the XT back to a port on the old hub. Presto! The problem disappeared. No more stuck notes, and Clockworks communicates with it just fine.

and discard the hub, plug directly into the Mac.

Disconnected old edition MIDI express from the USB hub (sitecom 7-port), plugged it direct into my MBP (2010 15") and the hanging note problem disappeared.

MOTU usb MIDI devices need to be upgraded to work properly with Intel based Macs if they are old enough. My MTP AV was one of those. This link tells you which units need the $19.95 upgrade:
https://www.motu.com/store_products/har ... es/rom_mtb

In addition, there is a #2032 'keep alive' battery inside. How long has it been since that was changed?

On the MBP, did it make a difference which usb port you plugged into? Only one port supplies bus power, the other doesn't. I would think this shouldn't be an issue but, if it is, helpful to know.

[abiah]

*edit - after troubleshooting, in my case the hanging note problem came from the Express XT sharing any hub with an RME Babyface audio interface. It would work fine until made to share a hub with the Babyface. But this wasn't a problem pre-Mountain Lion.

However after updating the Babyface driver (v1.78), the two devices now share a hub happily once more, no more hanging notes. Alles gut.

[vcat]

For me it doesn't matter which port it's plugged into. I've no usb hub, but have one on order. I'll update with more info when it arrives.
Also, I checked the model number and I have a more current model that doesn't require the update. Good information there tho, I hadn't seen that when troubleshooting on the MOTU website.
I haven't checked the battery, will do so tomorrow.
Cheers to everyone for sharing thoughts and experiences on this.

[Spoff]

What got rid the stick notes for me was to disable event chasing.

[jakob32]

anyone else got any ideas for this.. im running into the same problems with stuck notes?